CA ALISON CHAO: Missing from Monterey Park, CA - 16 July 2024 - Age 15 *Found Safe*

Alison Chao: 15-year-old California girl disappears on bike ride to relative's home

A Monterey Park teen disappeared after she left her home to go see a relative in San Gabriel, police say.

www.foxla.com

15-year-old Monterey Park girl riding bike to visit family never made it to relative's home: police​

A desperate search is on for a missing 15-year-old Monterey Park girl who was last seen riding a bike to visit family in the San Gabriel Valley.

According to the Monterey Park Police Department, Alison Chao left her home in Monterey Park a little after 5:30 p.m. on July 16 to go see family in San Gabriel. Chao never made it to the San Gabriel relative's home, police said.

Police seek missing Monterey Park teen last seen riding bike to family member's home

Authorities are asking for help to find a missing 15-year-old who was last seen Tuesday evening in Monterey Park.

www.nbclosangeles.com

Police seek missing Monterey Park teen last seen riding bike to family member's home​

Authorities are asking for help to find a missing 15-year-old who was last seen Tuesday evening in Monterey Park.

Alison Jillian Chao left her home in the 200 block of North Ynez Avenue Tuesday at about 5:30 p.m., police said. She was on the way to visit a family member in nearby San Gabriel, but never arrived at the home.

Annie Chao, the mother of Alison, described her daughter as bubbly, upbeat and full of energy. Alison was last seen on a Ring camera heading out from her father's home around 5:30 p.m.

“She took her bike from her dad's house and rode down the driveway, headed towards her aunt's house in San Gabriel and never made it there," said Annie. "It was really hard to comprehend. You know, I don't think your mind can understand what's happening in that moment. I just, it's been a lot of sleepless nights.”

At the time, she was wearing a purple t-shirt, black shorts and dark shoes. Alison was riding a blue mountain bike and carrying a black backpack.

Family members described her as an Asian female, about 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 96 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Annie and her sisters have been posting flyers at local businesses - hoping someone has information to help police.



Media - ALISON CHAO: Missing from Monterey Park, CA - 16 July 2024 - Age 15

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Missing 15-year-old Monterey Park girl found safe outside ABC7

A 15-year-old girl who went missing in Monterey Park last week was found safe outside ABC7's office in Glendale.

abc7.com

Missing 15-year-old Monterey Park girl found safe outside ABC7​

A 15-year-old girl who went missing in Monterey Park last week was found safe outside ABC7's office in Glendale.

Alison Jillian Chao was reported missing the afternoon of Tuesday, July 16.

According to a security guard at ABC7, the girl was walking and had been followed by someone in a car who recognized her as a missing minor and called police.

 

[Kimster]

I sure hope someone steps in and helps this girl. She needs an advocate!

 

[Guess Who]

Was she trying to take a shortcut?

In my area, one might go a different way when taking a bike than driving or walking due to the terrain. Much different in some cases. Some of the hills here are not bike friendly! I wonder if her area is like that.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Tried to watch the video of cops trying to take her or serve an order or whatever but been going through a lot of issues here lately with doing such things and yet YT works and so on. Or maybe it's Chrome. Happens daily.

GLAD as heck she was found alive and safe and that's all I've said and hoped each thing that's come out after meant.

So she was walking, where is her bike?

And so it would appear she took off either with our without help and stayed with someone or somewhere at least.

I don't do the SM stuff and even if I did, it is rare for me, but I'm not jumping to which side is telling the truth here and that includes the teen. Again it was strongly suggested to watch the video but it just kept circling for me. So I don't have the benefit of having seen her and what went on.

Anyone who has raised teens or had easy ones wouldn't be able to consider that the teen may well act different with both parents and so on. That's not even from my life but from seeing a ton of it and families and more I won't go into.

So if this is all true and the mom is bad and she should not be there, then we have a very bad judge too. Totally possible.

All I'm saying is not enough for me to take a position and I know how rare that is, but I don't have one. The father's side actually bothers me for some reasons I could go into BUT I am not saying her mom isn't out of control and bad news, I don't know that either.

When grandma said a 15 year old can decide for herself if NOT considered mentally unstable, that made no sense to me. NO they cannot. I mean it is possible she was trying like heck to get away from a responsible parent to the more lenient side and acting out to get there. I mean dad did let her take off on a bike alone and these days that alone well.... And teens well...

Again others may know more but I don't do SM. And I tried to watch the video and coudln't. Even if the upset seems real and I'm guessing that's what went on? She's 15 and I'm sure would be truly upset.

At minimum we know she took off this well behaved child per dad's side. And that's if no one else knew or helped.

I'm old like most of us but as a teen my mom would often say no when I was looking to go somewhere, get out of the house, have some freedom OR she'd say go ask your dad. I KNEW my dad would let me as long as I was always a well behaved kid to them both and THEY were married. AND if I ASKED nicely. And of COURSE it was to get out and just have some fun and not necessarily doing what I or we (sister too at times) said we were going to do. It's just that age. Nothing that bad but you are teen and starting to maybe hate the restrictions if rigid and so on. We lived in the country and that seemed pretty dull at that age when I first started driving...

And maybe all I am saying is irrelevant because others know more but SM is still just SM.

And she's a minor so one would never know her record, IF ANY, had she acted out, done anything, etc. Of course we have dad's side talking about such an obedient child. BUT these parents are fighting one another so who knows the truth. And I'm not sure we ever will but it's one that I'm taking no position on at the moment.

But I am GLAD she is SAFE and ALIVE. When parents don't work together and some won't or can't a teen has learned by then how to play them.

So that's one of my thoughts on why they differ as to her behavior.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

"I just want what is in the best interest of Alison at this point," father of missing Monterey Park teen says

The search for Alison Chao ended Tuesday morning after the 15-year-old left on her bicycle on July 16 and turned up with the assistance of a good Samaritan Tuesday morning, at the ABC7 Broadcast Center in Glendale.

www.cbsnews.com

"I just want what is in the best interest of Alison at this point," father of missing Monterey Park teen says​

The father of the Monterey Park teenager who had been missing for a week, tearfully spoke at a news conference Tuesday, thanking everyone for helping to search for his daughter who turned up safely in Glendale earlier in the day.

Attorney Jose Romero served as the spokesperson during Tuesday's news conference for Alison's father Jeffrey Chao, saying that the teen was not kidnapped, there is no indication of foul play, and that Mr. Chao did everything he could to try to get his daughter home safely.

Chao spoke briefly, describing his daughter as intelligent with a good heart. "I would really like to thank all the friends and community who came out and helped, you know, find her," Chao said as he held back tears. "You know, we've been really worried about where she's been and you know, we really appreciate what everybody's done and helped out with."

No explanations were given as to why Alison left, where she was throughout the week, what she ate, where she slept, or where her bicycle is. Romero said Alison is at the Monterey Park Police Department, where protocol is being followed as Department of Children and Family Services social workers examine, question, and evaluate the teen.

He explained that is the normal process in such situations, and the family has not been able to contact her yet.


Just before showing up at the Glendale news station, a woman recognized Chao, followed her, made contact with her and arrived at the station with Chao. Romero clarified that Chao was headed to the station on her own, but that the woman assisted after making contact with her. Glendale police responded, along with Monterey Park police.

"Its been tiring. I'm very concerned. I just want what is in the best interest of Alison at this point," Chao said.

 

[GrandmaBear]

If you can't get along and work in the best interest, and sadly, sometimes one parent wants to but the other does not or makes it impossible, well you end up in sh*t like this. Yes, where is her bike, where was she, how did she avoid other cameras and so on and know to do so.

So if they ever get her back, either parent, is dad going to let her go off biking again?

I guess it resulted in more involved and it will be looked at harder and neither parent is going to have any contact or control for the moment most likely. And if she herself is playing them both ways well there's that too. Now you've got everyone involved and so if this is what any of the three wanted, there you go, you've lost any control for the moment. Let's hope idiots aren't the ones taking care of her and it now.

My first thought in this case was why would you let your teen take off on bike even to her aunt's in this day and age and alone... And that's before hearing everything that has come since.

And I'm sorry but in California no less.

ONE side of the family portrays her as with issues and the other side portrays her as perfectly behaved...

Good luck to them all and her.

I am glad she is alive and safe. In some that's all we can hope for and even then sometimes they come back having suffered who knows what. I think it unlikely here she suffered anything (like some stranger abduction, internet creep she met, etc.).

There is the loss of the bike though.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Woman who found missing Monterey Park teen outside ABC7 recalls emotional encounter

For the first time, we're hearing from the woman who spotted a missing 15-year-old Monterey Park girl outside ABC7's studio.

abc7.com

Woman who found missing Monterey Park teen outside ABC7 recalls emotional encounter​

One of those flyers with Alison's photo reached Rachelle - one day before she picked up her morning coffee Tuesday in Glendale, where she unexpectedly spotted Alison walking by.

"There's no way that could be the missing person," Rachelle recalled thinking. "Something in my head said 'It's her.'"

Rachelle called police and followed Alison by car for several blocks until she reached ABC7 studios. Glendale police arrived shortly after.

"What struck me immediately was how self-possessed she was. Sound of mind. Very articulate, very clear on what the situation was," Rachelle said. "She was very clear on 'I've come to ABC to tell my story. No one else will listen to me.'"

After listening to Alison's plea, Rachelle decided to speak publicly.

"I will always bear responsibility, quite frankly, as we discussed, for stopping her in coming all the way here," she said. "And I couldn't sleep with myself after promising her that I would help her by just letting it be a pat on my back. I feel like I would have let that kid down."

"She was crying. She was very upset. Mostly about not being able to tell her story," Rachelle added.

Annie Chao, Alison's mother, released a statement Tuesday that said in part: "Alison is a young girl and her feelings about my divorce from her father are understandably complicated, but she has a family (both my side and her dad's side) that loves and adores her. I will always do my best to protect Alison's interests, no matter the circumstances and regardless of the stones that may be thrown at me."

Jeffery Chao, Alison's father, thanked those who helped find her.

"We've been really worried about where she's been at and really appreciate what everybody's done," he said.

At a news conference Tuesday, Jeffrey Chao's sister said she believes Alison ran away because she did not want to be with her mother. According to Jeffrey Chao's attorneys, Alison's mother was granted physical custody of Alison on a temporary basis last week.

Alison's court-appointed attorney released a statement that said the complex situation should not be playing out in public, and that based on her advocacy for Alison, including among other things, consultation with medical professionals "... the judge has made determinations that are solely in Alison's best interest, including awarding Alison's mother, Annie Chao, sole decision making authority regarding Alison's mental health and sole physical custody of her."

Eyewitness News learned Wednesday that Alison is in DCFS custody.

Rachelle, who is a mother and someone who is just learning about Alison's case, underscored she believes Alison does not feel heard.

"I can only tell you that this is someone who's three years short of adulthood, who believes that she's deeply unheard, and that she has no avenue for adjudication," Rachelle said. "I hope her family comes together, can solve this for her, that the courts don't fail her."

 

[GrandmaBear]

you cannot make this happen when one side or the other will NOT do it. one side can be willing and even want the help of the other side. i'd like to know what the child support situation even is. this kind of sh*t is hard to know on. and then you have a teen perhaps dealing with her own stuff and angst and maturing.

and when parents don't get along, like i've said, kids learn how to play that. I want to go live with dad (because you told me no or wouldn't buy me this or go here or there and vice versa).

it looks to me that this is the case here or part of it and yes, now their stuff is in the public eye. I find it of note the mom never trashed the dad's side but they did the mom. and the judge sided with the mom.

and courts EVEN if meaning well don't and can't perfect a bad situation when one of the partners is just never going to work in the best interest of the child and the other parent chose the wrong person and can't make it that way either.

and I honestly do NOT have an opinion here as I think all three parties, dad and his family, mom and hers, and Alison herself could be the cause OR as likely what do you do in such a situation? and honestly what are judges and courts that are already overloaded supposed to do either? Personally I don't think such belongs in, in most places, the same courts and judges that handle traffic, murder, felonies, probate, small claims and more.

i\d hope WHICHEVER side is the bad one that won't work with the other OR if the child is playing one side one way and the other another, if they got on the same PAGE with parenting, that couldn't happen. And add in extended family and what a freaking mess.

We are not hearing all of this and even though I know no SM sh*t there's more here.

So now she is with DCF. Is this what they wanted?

But again, being fair, it is often just ONE side that won't work with the other and co parent.

And the poor kid has all this mixed up stuff and life but in the same sense learns to play it when older.

I don't know that that's the case here, as I said, I am not taking a stance as I think there' s a LOT unknown.

I'm just glad she's safe.

I'm no expert but seen a lot of this sh*t in jobs and more my entire life. And in my own life. Judges don't need all this emotional b.s. either. Honestly.

Parents need to be sat down and talked to strongly. You work together for the sake of your child NO MATTER what and you will see which one is willing and which one isn't if it does not result. You don't have to love each other but you PUT your kid first. And you PAY your support and you take care of your child and you share notes even if you can't stand the other of what is going on with her in the week you have her and from the other in the week you have her.

Etc. Etc,.

Again, pretty rare for me not to form an opinion but in this one, well, I hope both parents have learned. But I also hope if Alison is acting out and playing them, they sit down and talk about it one parent to another of what each has been seeing. I personally did not think in this day and age and in Cali of all places she should have been on a bike ride along at 15 to begin with.

There's a lot more to the story imo and now they got themselves and their b.s. and inability to work together in the public eye.

Love him or hate him, and I'm neither, Dr. Phil had some very good advice through the years. And one is that you don't want your kid's life and custody out of your hands and In the hands of CPS or DCF when parents could not or would not agree or work together. Of course though there are arseholes that one parent would do anything to work together and the other won't and doesn't care about the effect on the kids but only control of all. The ex. The kid. The ex through the kids as pawns, etc.

I know it is a bit of a rant and I don't do SM but even if I did, I would not necessarily believe one side over another here.

I am glad the woman sighted her. How fortunate. Headed to ABC. Wow. I think there's more to this. I don't know what it is BUT AS ALWAYS I am so RELIEVED SHE IS ALIVE.

The very first reports seemed it would be unlikely. Wasn't long though before I soon thought otherwise.

I know this much. Dad's side is more permissive. Mom isn't. Who had custody and the most time that she was straight A and sh*t and which parent pays support to the other? I'd really like to know these things.

But sounds like mom is a total trying to commit her daughter. Yet a judge agreed with mom. If a real judge and knows the facts well then that says something....

And of course even if Alison isn't playing both parents at 15 or even is, considering what she has for a very inconsistent and volatile relationship between parents, why would anyone wonder. Even if a rebelling teen who isn't adult yet, it isn't her fault. Even though without divorce or fights, she could rebel like this IF that is the case.

The remark that stands out to me in this is of the paternal grandma. At 15 she can choose, and make her own decisions unless she is ruled mentally unstable or incompetent or whatever the wording was. WHAT?? Unless Cali has a law like that. My guess was it meant at a certain age they can tell a judge what parent they prefer to live with but that is not how she put it or what she said. Whatsoever. No 15 year old is legal to run their own life. They often think they are.

Again I could be way off and don't do SM so maybe I am very far off track on what others know but even if I did, this is what I see and I don't buy into SM if it is from one side or another either which it is here even in the case reporting.

The girl DID pull a stunt but was it with or without help...

And with families and parents who don't work together, of course she is messed up and could even learn to play that but still they cause such.

But there are cases that one wants nothing but to work with the other parent to even see their child, help support their child, etc. in divorce, etc. but it is not always there are two sides to ever story. Sometimes only one side is bad.

Again I'd like to know more on child support and a bunch else but we likely never will. And a judge if a GOOD judge sided with the mom.

But it's Cali and the world is a mess. So even now I am taking NO STANCE or opinion.. Other than dad's side seems very permissive and even grandma thinks she could be autonomous at 15 yet probably relying on parents to fund it.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Father of Monterey Park teen missing for a week arrested on suspicion of child abduction

The father of a 15-year-old girl who was missing for about a week in Monterey Park has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and other offenses, the Monterey Park Police Department announced Friday.

www.nbclosangeles.com

Father of Monterey Park teen missing for a week arrested on suspicion of child abduction​

The father of a 15-year-old girl who was missing for about a week has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and other offenses, the Monterey Park Police Department announced Friday.

Jeffrey Chao also is accused of falsifying a police report in connection with the disappearance of Alison Jillian Chao, according to police.

Details about Alison's disappearance remain unclear.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/alison-chaos-father-arrested-by-monterey-park-police/

Alison Chao’s father arrested by Monterey Park police​

The father of a 15-year-old girl whose missing persons case made national headlines has been arrested and faces possible charges for child abduction, conspiracy and falsifying a police report.

On Friday, the Monterey Park Police Department announced that Jeffery Chao was arrested following an “extensive investigation.”

While details about the arrest of Jeffery Chao are limited, the charges laid out by police imply that investigators believe he may have played a role in Alison’s reported disappearance.

Police said the investigation was ongoing and there would be “no further comment at this time.”

 

[GrandmaBear]

Father of Monterey Park teen missing for a week arrested on suspicion of child abduction

The father of a 15-year-old girl who was missing for about a week in Monterey Park has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and other offenses, the Monterey Park Police Department announced Friday.

www.nbclosangeles.com

Father of Monterey Park teen missing for a week arrested on suspicion of child abduction​

The father of a 15-year-old girl who was missing for about a week has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and other offenses, the Monterey Park Police Department announced Friday.

Jeffrey Chao also is accused of falsifying a police report in connection with the disappearance of Alison Jillian Chao, according to police.

Details about Alison's disappearance remain unclear.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/alison-chaos-father-arrested-by-monterey-park-police/

Alison Chao’s father arrested by Monterey Park police​

The father of a 15-year-old girl whose missing persons case made national headlines has been arrested and faces possible charges for child abduction, conspiracy and falsifying a police report.

On Friday, the Monterey Park Police Department announced that Jeffery Chao was arrested following an “extensive investigation.”

While details about the arrest of Jeffery Chao are limited, the charges laid out by police imply that investigators believe he may have played a role in Alison’s reported disappearance.

Police said the investigation was ongoing and there would be “no further comment at this time.”

I don't care if right or wrong so long as she's safe and alive but this was kind of obvious in my opinion about her dad/dad's side. I said it and I am not one bit surprised. I also wouldn't go jumping against mom. Unless something is such proof on FB or somewhere. Or unless proof mom is bad, judge is dirty and so on.

When you have parents that won't work together or ONE you can't fix or get to do that even by court order, the kid also learns to play it.

We may never get all the answers but I am not one stinking bit surprised. Just in reading between the lines of what was here and I saw not a thing anywhere else.

Key thing is she is alive. Now, what a mess for all. And there's a few more years to get her at least to adulthood. I think one parent maybe trying to and the other not so much but again who knows. We won't likely get those answers.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Father of Monterey Park teen charged with falsely reporting her missing, hiding her

The father of a Monterey Park teen has been charged with falsely reporting her missing and hiding her.

abc7.com

Father of Monterey Park teen charged with falsely reporting her missing, hiding her​

The father of a 15-year-old girl who went missing for a week in Monterey Park has been charged with falsely reporting her missing and concealing her, the District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

A felony charge of child stealing/concealment and a misdemeanor count of false report of an emergency were filed against Jeffery Chao, according to the office of DA George Gascón.

Chao appeared in court briefly on Tuesday to enter a not-guilty plea.

The DA says he also "induced others, including a minor, to participate in the commission of the offense of child stealing/concealment."

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

"Falsely reporting a child as missing not only violates the law but also diverts critical law enforcement resources away from other serious matters," Gascón said in a written statement. "This type of behavior will not be tolerated, and we will hold the responsible individual accountable for his actions."

Alison's parents, Jeffery and Annie Chao, are in the midst of a divorce and child-custody battle, with the mother recently awarded full custody of the teen.

Alison's mother released a lengthy statement Friday, saying she's been estranged from Jeffery for more than a year and that he drove a wedge between her and her daughter.

"I believe that Jeff coached Alison to make false accusations against me and he continues to thwart and undermine my relationship with Alison," read the statement. "Before our separation, I had a close, loving relationship with Alison."

 

[GrandmaBear]

Not surprised. Leaned that way from the start.

He really helped himself out with any chance of custody now didn't he... Not. it doesn't mean mom is telling the truth either but it makes it a lot more likely and it also sounds as I suspected, that the teen may well have been acting out and dad is accused of playing he against mom and there may well have a been a real reason to put her in and get her some help. But then both sides could be lying in the heated divorce and custody battles, would not be uncommon but plenty of times it also is just one.